Wire fence



(No Model.)

J. M. KEITH.

WIRE FENCE. No. 580,869. Patented Apr. 20, 1897,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JESSE M. KEITH, OF MURRAY, IOIVA.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,869, dated April 20, 1897. Application filed October 18, 1895. Serial No. 566,085. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J EssE M. KEITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Murray, in the county of Clarke-and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of fences in which 1 5 barbed-wire pickets are combined with twisted wire-fence strands, whereby I produce a fence which presents superior advantages with respect to efficiency in use.

My invention consists of a fence or the wire :0 portion therefor, comprising two or more twisted strands in combination with a series of sections of barbed wire, the sections of barbed wire being arranged at right angles to the strands and woven within the twists z 5 thereof.

My invention consists, further, in the 0011- struction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a perspective of a section of my fence mounted as required for use.

In the construction of the fence as shown the numeral 1 designates the supporting or '35 fence posts, to which are attached horizontally in a common manner the strands 2 of the fence, which strands each consist of two wires closely twisted together, as is common in the construction of wire-and-picket fences.

The numeral 3 is employed to designate each of the pickets, which are positioned at right angles to the strands 2 and woven between the individual wires forming the strands and extending outward beyond the outer strands a 4 5 considerable distance. Each of the pickets 3 is formed of .two sections of desired dimension cut from a coil of wire and comprises" two wires twisted together and confining supporting and holding barbs 4 in a common manner. I make no claim in this connection to the manner of constructing any form of barbed fence-wire,nor do I claim the weaving of barbs with one or the other of the individuals twisted together to form the picket, per se. The pickets may be constructed of any desired form of barbed wire and are arranged at suitable distances of separation to form, in conjunction with the strands 2, square or rectangular spaces or fretwork. By twisting the individuals of the strands around the pickets and employing twisted pickets I provide ahelical space for a helical body, and since the helical body cannot move in said space, save in a rotary path, the pickets are maintained in given relations to the strands and sustained at uniform elevations, as desired.

My fence may be constructed on a loom and rolled up for transportation, sale, handling, and convenient use, and when so rolled in bales may be grasped at the ends of the bales by the bare hands of persons handling the same without damage or hurt to the hands, since the end portions of the pickets are free of barbs and lateral projections common to fences employing barbed ribbon and barbedslat pickets. By employing pickets carrying sharpened pointed wire barbs located between the strands and on opposite sides of the meshes of the completed fence I guard against lateral vibration of an animals head within the said meshes longitudinally or laterally of the fence. In the provision last above mentioned I find one of the chief virtues of my improved construction, since it prevents displacement of the pickets and abnormal stretching and loosening of the strands.

I am aware that it is not new to put barbed ribbon and barbed wooden-slat pickets in strand-wires in a manner very similar in appearance to my construction, and I do not 0 claim such; but I have found by experiment and extensive sale, introduction, and use that a fence composed of strand-wires twisted in pairs and containing and supporting wire pickets twisted in pairs and provided with 5 pointed barbs located midway of the strands is of extreme utility in turning and restraining swine.

I claim- 1. An improved fence, comprising approxi- 10o mately continuous strands each composed of two smooth wires twisted together, and pickets formed of lengths of wire twisted together and barbed between the strands only positioned at right angles to the strands and interposed between the individuals which twisted together form the strands.

2. An improved fence fabric made in sections and adapted to be rolled into bales for transportation and handling, and comprising strand-wires twisted in pairs, wire pickets twisted in pairs and interposed between the strand-wires atright angles thereto,and sharppointed barbs mounted in and carried by the twisted pairs of pickets and located midway of the spaces separating the twisted strands, the end portions of the twisted pickets being smooth and adapted for handling manually to transport the bales.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JESSE M. KEITH. lVitnesses:

J OHN 3R. HINES, J NO. H. MARTINDALE. 

